Buffalo Bills News - December 19, 2003

Determined Henry refuses to take a breather [8:54 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"We've got two more games, a big rival in the Miami Dolphins, and we have to finish up the season strong to set the right tempo for next year," Henry said. "I think everybody on this football team is going to finish up strong to the end."'

Two Bills going to Pro Bowl [5:20 AM]Rochester D&C reports:
'“Even though we didn’t do quite as well (as a team), this was a piece of something I wanted to do as a personal goal. It eases the pain a little, but once it’s over it’s (not making the playoffs) still going to hurt.”'

Bills fall short of goal in 4th-quarter scoring [5:19 AM]Rochester D&C reports:
'Four games — Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis and Tennessee — came down to the final offensive drive for the Bills. Those drives ended: punt, fumble, interception, failed 2-point conversion.'

Ogunleye gets Pro Bowl nod [5:18 AM]Miami Herald reports:
'For Ogunleye, the timing is perfect. He is set to be a restricted free agent at the end of this season and will likely generate great interest around the league.'

McGahee decision to be at game time [5:17 AM]Miami Herald reports:
'''Willis has asked the coaches to play each of the past three weeks, but they just haven't felt it was the right time,'' agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents McGahee, said Thursday. ``With only two games left and the Bills out of the race, I don't know if they'll do that.'''

Dolphins’ defense gets four Pro Bowl invites [5:16 AM]Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reports:
'"It's all about winning, getting to the playoffs and winning in the playoffs," said Thomas, whose five consecutive Pro Bowl selections is the longest streak by a Dolphins linebacker since John Offerdahl (1986-90). "That's all that really matters. This is another thing like an award or something like that."'

Fiedler's cold stats could snowball at Buffalo [5:15 AM]Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reports:
'In Fiedler's past two cold-weather starts, at New England in December 2002 and against the Patriots again last week, Fiedler completed 43 percent of his passes, averaged 111 yards and had one touchdown and two interceptions. The Dolphins lost both games.'

Four Dolphins make Pro Bowl [5:13 AM]Palm Beach Post reports:
'"You wish and hope that things will work out in your favor, but when it doesn't happen you just go on," Seau said. "I'll take my 12 straight and pack my bags and get on with it. I've been blessed. It's time for other folks to go and have fun."'

Will McGahee play? He won't say [5:12 AM]Palm Beach Post reports:
'"I mean, you can just tell week by week he's not favoring his knee or nothing like that," Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "I just noticed last week, one time when he went out on a pass route and a linebacker was chasing after him, he kind of pulled away from the linebacker. I was like, 'He's getting real close to playing form again.' "'

Dolphins lead Florida in Pro Bowlers [5:11 AM]Florida Today reports:
'But like the rest of the Dolphins, Thomas would gladly trade in his honor for a chance to reach the playoffs.'

Quartet of Dolphins on Pro Bowl team [5:10 AM]Naples Daily News reports:
'With the Dolphins facing playoff elimination with either a loss to the Bills or a Denver win Sunday, making the Pro Bowl is a little bittersweet, even for Ogunleye. "It's coming at a bad time," Ogunleye said. "I really feel that we should be a lot better as a team and hopefully, we can get these next two wins. Getting in the playoffs would make this a lot better. I would honestly give this award away if we could get into the playoffs."'

Ex-'Cane McGahee likely won't play Fish [5:09 AM]Naples Daily News reports:
'"He's made a lot of progress," Bills coach Gregg Williams said. "He really has. We made the decision to move him up onto the active roster so we could work with him throughout the remaining part of the season. We will evaluate him at the end of every week whether he can add something into one of our packages to where he could help us win a ballgame and also give himself a chance to play in live competition. But we're not going to jeopardize the team, nor him, if everything is not fully 100 percent in both areas, be it mentally and be it physically."'

Holiday cheers turn to jeers [5:08 AM]USA Today reports:
'Each time, Dave Wannstedt's theretofore well-positioned team has been rendered anything but merry. This season has brought the same serving of holiday jeer the Dolphins find so distastefully familiar. It could cost Wannstedt his job.'

Brown And Spikes Honored For Hawaii [4:52 PM]WGR-AM reports:
'Takeo Spikes makes his first ever Pro Bowl. He said he was very emotional inside, but he wasn't going to pull a Dick Vermeil.'

Bills OG Brown, LB Spikes earn Pro Bowl selections [3:49 PM]AP reports:
'For Spikes, this is the recognition he was seeking when he signed with the Bills last March. In Cincinnati, Spikes led the Bengals in four of his five seasons but failed to earn a Pro Bowl selection because of the team's poor record.'

Miller Ready for Last Home Stand [2:40 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'"I'm excited that my last home game is going to be against that team we all love to hate," Miller said. "The Bills and Dolphins have played some great games over the years and they continue to be one of the NFL's best rivalries."'

Dolphins look to exorcise December road demons [2:39 PM]The Sports Network reports:
'"We need to get focused and get ready to go and get after Buffalo this week. Play this thing out and see what happens," said Wannstedt. "We were in a similar situation a year ago and we know what happened in the end against us. We've just got to keep our focus. We can't worry about anyone else. We've just got to get ready for the next one, which is Buffalo."'

Williams' fate seems a foregone conclusion [8:56 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Williams is a free agent at the end of the season, as the three-year contract he signed in 2001 comes to an end. With the Bills out of the playoffs and playing out the string of a disappointing year, it's a virtual foregone conclusion the Bills will not offer him a new contract.'

Dolphins game will be eighth straight sellout [8:55 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"We're very proud of it," Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe said. "You obviously have to take your hat off to the fans for their support. A lot of people in the organization have worked hard to do that, including the owner. In a couple of games where we were close and may not have made it, he bailed us out and gave us the opportunity to go eight for eight."'

Bills say Horn's call was wrong [5:17 AM]Rochester D&C reports:
'“We would hope that our players have a little more class and a little more concern about their team than doing something like that,” Donahoe said Wednesday. “We would look at that as a very selfish act and not even having spoken to Gregg (Williams) about it, I’m sure, as well as I know him, he would say the same thing.”'

Bills face Pro Bowl shutout [5:15 AM]Rochester D&C reports:
'Henry has had a fine 2003 season but at least four AFC running backs are enjoying even better seasons (Jamal Lewis, Clinton Portis, Priest Holmes and LaDainian Tomlinson). Bledsoe and Moulds don’t merit finishing in the top half-dozen at their positions.'

Two experts break down a breakdown [5:14 AM]Miami Herald reports:
'McShay: ``Jay Fiedler is fine when he's healthy and can move, but when he's dinged -- and he's dinged every year -- his effectiveness really falls. He's only effective when he's on the move. That cuts his reads down to half the field. He has been great at times and they win, but you can't win a championship with him.'''

Wind could be a factor in frosty Buffalo [5:12 AM]Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reports:
'Like the Patriots' Gillette Stadium, Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium has an opening at one end that can funnel wind inside. Like they did against the Patriots, the Dolphins will be more conservative going that way if the wind is significant, coach Dave Wannstedt said.'